Firebirds Race - Jericho Utah April 23rd

Chris and I both raced the firebirds race this past weekend. I've been slow at reporting results because I have a freaking concussion. LOL. I ate shit so hard, you just wouldn't believe it! My start was shaky, but I was able to get in-front of TNG (Trish) for the entire 1st loop! I was right in-front of her on the first of 3 home checks. However, she passed me after I over-shot a corner on the second loop, and she and I battled it out for most of the 2nd loop, with her in-front at the second home check. It's kinda funny: she looked back at me when we were checking in, and I said "Go faster Trish, I'm gonna catch ya!" and, well, that was really dumb of me-she turned it up and stayed in-front the rest of the race (but only because I crashed!)

I have no idea what happened, but somehow (I think I was in sandy whoops) I flipped over my handle bars at a pretty high speed. I remember flying off my bike, but don't remember the crash or picking up my bike and starting back on the trail. The strangest part: I like "lapsed" back into my dream from the former night... and it wasn't until nearly the END of the last loop that I "zoned" in again and realized I was still racing and that I had to finish... It was, by far, the most strange thing that has happened in a while. I was completely zoned. Overall, I'll take 2nd place in points for this race, which makes me mad because I ALMOST HAD HER and I tried my very hardest, boo hoo. TRISH WINS AGAIN!?!!!!

We spent the day cooking grub for the crew and my head kinda hurt. It wasn't until later that night when we all went back out to the hot-pots that the pain really kicked in full-steam. Since then, my head has hurt SOOOOO bad, and my neck is still so hurtie all the way around and down through my shoulder blades. That's not all-- you should see the black and green bruise on my hip, 'oly crap. ?!

Chris raced the first loop and opted out of the 2nd loop because he was cramping up so bad, so he'll have another DNF (Did Not Finish) on his points record for the year. Don't quite know where he is in the running for his class this year. Gotta try and keep him out of the pits (and out of the Captain Morgan) if he's gonna place this year!

We had a blast at this race and we had a really fun time hanging out with Landry & Mandy, Cole & Carrie, Britt & John, and the other fabulous desert folk we've grown so attached to. Love 'em all!

NEXT RACE:

CHERRY CREEK

MAY 17th

Lot's of New Pages Turning...

After a period of slow-down and readjustment, I've finally decided and am moving in a few new directions:

• First, I interviewed with a handful of different employers, and have accepted the most challenging (and probably craziest) challenge of my professional life: a Commercial Real Estate Internship.

I interviewed with NAI Utah http://www.naiutah.com/ (a commercial real estate firm which manages acquisitions and dispositions, leasing, tenant representation, lease administration and audit, investment services, due diligence, and related consulting and advisory services), the 3rd largest commercial real estate firm in Utah, for the chance to "compete" in a 3-month long internship in which the top 2-3 of 10-14 candidates will be offered permanent positions with the company (kind of like the "Pursuit of Happyness" movie). They interviewed 36 candidates, and I was 1 of 7-10 that were accepted! Starting August 25th, For 12 weeks, I will be judged on my ability to learn commercial real estate practices and policies, present and sell properties, create an over-all personal business structure to be judged by a board of 5 managers, and pass a series of classroom and field tests in a plethora of on-site scenarios. (Scarry?!)

If I am one two of the top performers in my class, I may be offered a permanent position with the company, in which I will be required to work 2 years in EACH of the company departments (research, acquisitions, marketing, sales...etc). After the 2-year period, I will be able to work as a Junior Agent and start performing sales to earn commissions. After 2 years of Junior Agency, I can graduate to a full independent Commericial Agent.

I know it sounds like complete insanity, working my brains out for 3 months which MAY or MAY NOT result in a career, to earn very little income for 4 additional years... but at the end of 5 years, this MAY result in one of the most respected positions in the Commerical industry, in which case most agents earn well over 6-figure incomes! That's what I'm talking about, baby.

• To gain an additional professional edge, I'm going back to school full-time starting May 1st, to earn my Broker's license. It's nearly double the requirements as the Real Estate Agent program, and my days will begin at 4 am and end at 8 pm, but it'll be worth it. I hope to start, end, and test within a 3 month period of time, so I can complete my Broker course before the NAI Internship starts in August. Wish me luck.... I know it's going to kick my ass.

• Third, to balance the need for personal gain, I've joined (AND FALLEN IN-LOVE WITH!) a nonprofit grassroots advocacy organization committed to creating the political will to end hunger and the worst aspects of poverty, called RESULTS. The group is committed to individuals exercising their personal and political power by lobbying elected officials for effective solutions and key policies that affect hunger and poverty. (http://www.results.org/)

I randomly read a book called "Banker to the Poor" by Professor Muhhamad Yunus, which is the story of the Grameen Bank, and how 1 man created an entire system of Micro-lending (giving small loans to poor people) which enabled entrepreneurship for poor individuals and alleviated millions from poverty! Not only that, he tells readers how to get involved and make a difference. I joined the suggested Salt Lake Chapter of "R.E.S.U.L.T.S." as a "constituent" to work with local legislators to focus on presenting and passing Bills that will help achieve the Millennium Development Goals of 2015:

1. Eradicate Extreme Hunger and Poverty
2. Achieve Universal Primary Education
3. Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women
4. Reduce Child Mortality
5. Improve Maternal Health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria and other Diseases
7. Ensure Environmental Sustainability
8. Create a Global Partnership for Development

I've officially decided NOT to join the Peace Corps (yet, LOL), and have taken a rain-check on marriage and kids for another 4 1/2 years. I've decided that my career is really important to me, that establishing a name for myself and accomplishing the goals I've held in my mind since I was a kid needs to be achieved before I feel comfortable turning my attention to motherhood and wifery. I just don't want to wake up in 30 years and feel like I "didn't give it my all."

So - I'm officially putting an end to the State of Crisis since being laid off from my last job, and I look forward to my working, school, Broker's license, eradicating world hunger and disease, racing motorcycles, and generally kicking ass!

Let's turn up the music and rock on!

SAGE RIDER'S RACE - Jericho Utah April 5th

We just came back from another fabulous race weekend (nope, still not getting old yet!) in Jericho. However, I am an idiot, and pretty much messed up the whole racing side of things for both Chris and I.

My start went really well and I was able to punch it and get into 3rd place off the line. I held my speed and even - YES - PASSED Tattoo Neck Girl (TNG, her name is Trish) and held first place for the entire first loop. HOWEVER, I over-shot a corner, rounded a big bush, and ran into a barbed wire fence and lost my lead. Somehow in the mix of things, I got totally off the course (don't even ask me how) and ended up returning to the main loop after MISSING PIT ROW, and I basically did a 3/4 loop and then a full loop, and finished the race, wondering why I never came into pit and why the loops were sooo long! (duh to me.)

Chris started to really worry when everyone came through pit row on the first loop, but me. Thinking I was hurt or lost, he hopped on his bike and followed the course to come find me. However, since the Big Bikes were also planned to race a portion of our course, the race officials DISQUALIFIED HIM FOR RIDING ON THE COURSE! Sad huh! He was disqualified in his efforts to come find me! (sigh. How tender!)

So, we were both disqualified in this race, which is really going to hurt my over-all points position. Really, I would have placed second, or maybe first, had I just kept up with TNG. Grrr...

We were able to watch the Expert's start -which was PHENOMINAL considering there were national and highly recognized professinal riders - the action was awesome!

After the race, our crew (Chris, Myself, Cole, Landry, Mike, Marcie, Carrie) all drove out in the 40 degree weather to the middle of the freakin' desert to a deserted, haunted, Japanese work- camp hot pot place that left the remains of 3 concrete natural hot springs tubs in the ground.. (yes, it is as freakish as it sounds.) Everyone was pretty loaded, except me, so I was the only one that really felt the moss and and dead bugs squishing under my butt and toes.... it was pretty gross, but totally worth it (minus the random strangers who showed up naked and humped infront of our whole group mid-evening ?!!) ! Chris gracefully slipped on some concrete in the dark and split his ankle open... dork, which was the only tragedy of the weekend. But is was pretty funny watching him whine, spread eagle in a mucky swamp hole.... LOL!

We had a great weekend and can't wait for the next one!

NEXT RACE:

April 26th

Firebird's in Jericho, Utah

P.S. I got a signed t-shirt from Destry Abbott!